State Rep. King goes after Travis D.A. again

State Rep. Phil King on Tuesday backed off an attempt to strip funding for a unit that investigates public corruption of state officials unless beleaguered Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg resigns.

King, R-Weatherford, tried unsuccessfully to tuck an amendment into a bill dealing with county courts to shift funding for the Public Integrity Unit to the Attorney General’s Office. It was the second time King has stood on the House floor to push the resignation of Lehmberg, who was recently sentenced to 45 days in prison after pleading guilty to drunken driving.

“My point tonight is to make the strongest shot across the bow that I can possibly do. This is my shot,” King said. “I am encouraging her to do the noble thing and to step down.”

As the Travis County DA, Lehmberg is in control of the state-funded Public Integrity Unit, which was created by the Legislature and tasked with investigating corruption among state officials. If Lehmberg resigns, Gov. Rick Perrywould get to appoint a replacement to finish out her term, which isn’t set to expire until 2016.

Last month, King took to the dais on the House floor in a rare “personal privilege” speech to blast Lehmberg’s behavior after getting popped with an open bottle of vodka and a blood-alcohol level of 0.239 — nearly three times the legal limit for operating a motor vehicle.

At the time, he threatened to push an amendment to strip the unit of funding but backed off and opted instead to deliver a speech.

On Tuesday, King said Lehmberg responded to his speech with a letter of her own from jail expressing that she had no intention of resigning. So King shot back Tuesday with his amendment.

But he was met with so much opposition that he eventually pulled his amendment down – but not before leveling one last threat.

“I am encouraging her to do the noble thing and to step down,” he said. “If she does not I will bring this amendment back up on a couple of bills coming our way that I think are germane.”